Dog Tricks Are Fun!

Kiss

Here's an easy one: Every time your dog licks your face, say, "Give me a kiss. Good boy! Give me a kiss." If he isn't a licker, put a little peanut butter on your cheek and say, "Give me a kiss." When he licks it off say, "Give me a kiss," again.

TIP:

Tricks like this work because you put words with something your dog does. Pretty soon your dog hears "Give me a kiss," and thinks about licking your face. Then you give him a hug, rub his ears and say, "Good boy!" Dogs love that.

Roll Over

Start by having your dog lie down on his belly. You can stand over him or kneel beside him. Using a treat, hold it by his nose, and then move it around and behind him, so that he lies on his side and then rolls over. Tell him what a great dog he is!

TIP:

Only roll your dog on soft surfaces like carpet or grass so he doesn't hurt his back. Some dogs don't like to roll over. It can be a little scary for them to put their belly up. Try it a few times and but if it's not fun for your dog, choose another trick.

Fetch

If your dog doesn't fetch naturally, have an adult cut a slit in a tennis ball (a smaller, rubber ball if that is too big). Put some treats inside the tennis ball. Show your dog that there are treats in there, and give her one. Then, throw the ball. In the beginning, run with her and get the ball; then give her the treat. Soon you will be able to throw the ball and she will go get it (because she wants the treat!).

TIP:

After your dog has figured out what he has to do to get a treat, start throwing the ball two times in a row without giving him the treat. What you are trying to do is give him the treats less and less often so someday he won't need the treats in the ball to fetch it.

Say Hello

Start by sitting on a chair. While holding a treat, put your hand between your knees and encourage your dog to get it. As soon as your dog's chin touches your leg, say "Say Hello!". Then say "Release" or "OK" and give him the treat after he lifts his head.

TIP:

Only give your dog the treat after you have released him. Increase the time his chin is touching your leg, so eventually your dog will keep it there while you pet him. Then release him and reward him. Your dog will soon charm your friends with this trick!

Find the Treasure! (Dig)

'Find the treasure' means the dog will use one or two front paws to dig at the ground. Here's one way to teach it on command. Gather some treats and put them under a towel while your dog is watching closely. Don't let your dog use his nose to get under the towel. Keep encouraging him verbally and showing him that there are treats under the towel, and eventually, he'll start pawing at the towel. As soon as he moves that paw just a little, say, "Find the treasure!" Reward your dog immediately with a treat from your hand or even from under the towel.

TIP:

For dogs that are not natural diggers, this may take a while. Remember that you're looking for that digging behavior. You can give him treats from under the towel or from your hand as encouragement. If he happens to uncover a treat by himself, then praise!

Caution! If you have a dog that digs in the garden and causes trouble because of his digging, you might not want to encourage this behavior.